Alarm-signal.



N0. 353,579. PATENTED MAY 14.19%,

E. E. 2mm. ALARM SIGNAL.

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UNITED IATENT OFFICE.

ELLSYVORTI'I E. FLORA, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ZORGE SAFETY liAllNVAY EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ALARM-SiGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 14, 1907.

Application filed March 3, 1906. serial No. 384.919.

To all whom itmnp concern.-

Be it known that l, ELLswon'rn E. FLORA, a citizen ol the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful linprovemcnt in Alarm-Sign sis, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to means for giving Warning to an. engineer, or motorman, approaching an open switch, or an open draw, with his train, or car; and my primary object is to provide improved apparatus involving the use of a device whic 1 will be preparatorily set when the switch is thrown open, and which will operate to detonate a torpedo, or explosive body, when a train passes over in approaching the switch.

The invention constitutes an improvement upon the alarm si nal disclosed in the application of Robert 303,487 filed in the United tates Patent Office on the 5th day of February, 1906.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which Figure 1 represents a diagrammatic view of a portion of a railway track equipped with my improved alarm device; Fig. 2, a

broken perspective view of a train-actuated switch employed in connection with an electric circuit of the device; Fig. 3, an elcvational view of the switch shown in Fig. 2, showing also the relation of the switch to the rail of the track; Fig. 4, a broken plan view showing a fragment of a rail and the mechanism of my alarm device in relation thereto; and Fig. 5, a section taken as indicated at line 5 of Fig. 4 and showing also the relation of a wheel passing over the rail.

In the preferred construction, A represents the main track of a railway; B, a side track; C, a switch-point operated by any convenient means (not shown); and D, my improved device electrically connected with the switch-point said device operating to cause an cxplosiomor a series of explosions, in the event that a train passes over the track in the direction indicated by the arrow while the switch-point is open.

The device I) preferably comprises a casing (I having a lower chamber (1 and an upper chamber ti the chambers being separated by a plate (1 and the upper chamber having a removable top (3; a rotary torpedo-carrier (3 located in the upper chamber and h ving Zor e, Serial No.

' actuated switch :1

a depending sleeve d journalcd in a hearing in the plate (1 and resting at its lower end on a spring-casing d which is located in the lower portion of the chamber (P; a shaft (i extending through the sleeve (1" and into the casing d said shaft being connected by a stud d with a coil-spring (1 whose outer end is joined by studs d to the casing; a ratchetwheel (Z fixed on the upper end of the shaft it a pair of spring-held pawls d mounted on the carrier d and engaging the ratchet-wheel cl; a locking lever cl whose lower end'is supported on a pivot d and whose upper end projects through a slot d in the plate (1 said locking lever controlling the movement of the carrier (1; a magnet (1 having an armature d controlling the movement of the locking member (1; an electric circuit al in which is included the winding of the magnet a?" and a battery d said circuit having a conductor d leading to a contact oint d and a conductor (1 connected with the switch-point C, and said circuit having also conductors c all connected with a train- It is to be borne in mind that the mechanism shown diagrammatically in Fig. l is, in practice, properly incased', as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

The casing i may he of cylindrical rorm with one side made flat, or segmental, as indicated at g to enable the casing to be placed close to a track-rail. The shaft d is journaled near the fiat side of the casing, and the top d of the chamber d is rovided with an opening 9 through which t e torpedoes may be projected by the carrier and laced upon the adjacent rail of the track. 'I he top (2 is, preferably, pivotally and rernovahly connected with the body of'the casing, the details of the connections being unimportant. The carrier d" is shown in the form of a disk equipped with two diametrically opposite sockets g which serve to receive shanks g of torpedoes g. The shanks g are provided at their ends with slots g which receive clamping screws 9, whereby the torpedoes are firmly secured in place. The normal osition of the tor edoes is shown in Fig. 4, mm which it will e understood that the torpe does he normally parallel with the track rail and housed in the chamber The carrier d is provided on its lower side with a air of diametrically opposite locking shoul are 9 arranged on a circle of given diameter, and

on a diameter at right angles to the diameter containing the shoulders g and on a larger circle with diametrically opposite locking shoulders g. The locking lever is normally held in the position. shown in Fig. 5 by the magnet d, in which position it is in the path ol' the stops 9 ol the tin'pcilo-carricr. The spring y" tends to throw the locking lever d to the other limit of its movement and thus bring the upper end of the locking lever into the path. ol the stops gf ol' the torpedocarrier. \"Vhen the magnet d" is de-encrgized, as by the breakage or failure of its circuit, the lever (1' will. be actuated by the spring 9", thereby disengaging the lever from the stop 9" with which it is in engagement and moving it mto the path oi the next succeeding stop 9 so that the torpedo-carrier will be permitted to make a quarter turn, thereby placing a torpedo above the trackrail at the point indicated at h in Fig. 4. Each stem 9'' is formed with a head having, in the coi'lstruction shown, three torpedoes mounted. thereon so arranged as to be presented longitudinally of the rail when in. position for exploding,it beingunderstood that the arrangement is designed to cause a series of explosions in rapid succession when a wheel passes over the torpedoes.

In Fig. 1, I have shown an electric circuit K provided with a bell It and a battery lr said circuit being connected with the torpedocarrier d and with. a contact-point 76 (see Fig. 5) adapted to make contact with the spring (1 when the latter expands in actuating the carrier. The purpose of the circuit K is to give warning when the spring requires rewinding. The bell may be located at a station, if desired, so that an attendant can see that the device is rewound. Ordinarily, it is expected that it will be the duty of the train crew to see that the device is recharged after an alarm signal has been given.

The switch d of the electric circuitd is designed to break the circuit at the point where said switch is located when a train passes in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1. The spring comprises spring eontact members Z with which the conductor (Z is connected; a horizontal switch-lever Z supported to turn freely on a pivot Z and an actuating arm Z supported to turn freely on said pivot and connected with the arms of the lever Z by springs Z, Z A yieldin catch Z is adapted to engage and hold the ever I after it has been actuated to break the circuit by a 'train moving in the direction of the arrow indicated in Fig. 1. A train moving in the opposite direction will reset the switch in its closed condition. The conductor (Z is in electrical connection with the switclelever, as shown in Fig. 1.

The operation may be briefly stated: Assuming the switch-point C to be closed, a train may pass over the track in either dircction without affecting the n'lcchal'iism. Assummg the switch-point to be open, a

tram passing over the track in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. I will operate the switch-lever 1, thereby breaking the circuit at that point, so that the magnet 1/ will be dc-encrgizcd, permitting the spring g to move the locking lcvcr (1 from the position shown in Fig. 5 to the other limit ol its movement, where it will be in position to engage the succeeding stop 'l he spring will now operate to turn the shalt d and the ratchct-whccl d, which will, through the medium of the pawls (1, turn the torpedocarrier through an angle of or until the stop g engages the movable stop d. The relation ol the casing (1 to the adjacent rail ol' the track is such that when the torpedo-carrier makes a quarter turn from the position shown in Fig. 4, a torpedo will,be placed above the rail in position. to be struck by a wheel of a passing train. The manner of supporting the casing d is not shown, but it will be understood that the casing is lirmly supported in any suitz'ible manner on the outer side oi. the adjacent rail, so that the stem of the torpedo will not be engaged by the flange of the wheel. Al'ter operation of the device, the torpedo carrier will, upon closure of the circuit d either at the switchpoint C, or at the electric switch (1 make a quarter revolutloi'i, owing to the fact that the vibratory stop (1 will be retracted against the action. of its spring upon the energization of the magnet This will leave the device in condition for a second operation. As has been indicated, however, train crews will be instructed to recharge and reset the device after each operation; and, Where possible, warning will be conveyed by the circuit; K to some attendant whose duty it is to keep watch of'the detonating device.

It is obvious that many changes in details of construction within the spirit of my invention. may be made, so that the foregoing detailed description should be understood as having been given for clearness of understanding only.

The improved device may be usefully employed in connection with switches, draw bridges, visual signals, crossings, and in various other situatlons.

What I regard as new, and desire to secure bv Letters Patent, is

U 1. l The combination with a track-rail, of a torpedo-carrier operating to place a torpedo immediately above the rail, a spring serving to operate said torpedo-carrier, stops on the torpedocarrier, a vibrating stop co-actmg with both of said first-named stops, a spring serving to move said vibrating stop in one direction, and an eleetro-magnet serving normally to hold said vibrating stop against the action of its spring.

The combination with a railway track,

of a device for th a purpose Set forth, comprising :1 rotary [I)I'PPdO-Gtil'lifif', a. spring iienriing to rotate said torpedn-rarrii r. Stops arranged U11 iiifl'vrpnt radii and moving with the turpedi'i-ezirrii-r, and a. suitably controiied vibratory SH)? located to osciilate between and mad with said iirsbnnmml stops.

A device far the purpose setv forth, cum prising a casing hLYillg an uppr r chamber and a lower (-hamiwr, a torpedomarrier housed iii iii? iippPi' (11m miwr. a shaft exmndiiig ii'iruiigh the torpmiu-mrrivr mail equipped at. in; imi'er and with an ail-Uniting spring,

ru1(:i10t\i'heei and paw] connection hFiVVPPI! 1 the upper and if the shaft and the turpmin carrier. siops (flFIiUli by thriorpedcv-rarriur, a itibfiifllliiiiiiy verticai Vihrahiry stop. a spring mailingin nmve said vihraiiiiry stop in Lilli? (iil'PFiiflll, a. magnrt tending in more said vihrutury stop in thv nthm direction. and a circuit for said magnet controlled with lfiltliiflll to the cundition of railway track.

4. 'ii'w umnhination with a raihvay track having a. mnvabie switch-point, of a torperhicarrier, potential means for actuating said carrier. an electro-niagnot voiitreiiiiig the movement of the tUlPOiiU-Cill'liGT, and an eiectrio vircuit, or virruits, for said niagnei having a make and break device cnntrniimi with riilatinii to the nmveinent iii the swim 1-point and having also a tiai11-c0ntr0iimi ('iectric switch, fsr the purpose set forth.

5. The combination with a railway track haviiig a iiiovaiiie switch-point, of a. torpedo- Lflfi'iil, a. iimgm-i contrulling sziili imperiofzlllit'fl, a. branch circuit for Saiii'i iiizignrt (0nnecteri with the switch-paint, and a, second bZHHCh circuit for said magnet having a train-:uztumml normaiiy closed switch 10- carted on the opposite side @i the dgtiiiiating o iierifio 0 which the Switflii pfiifii if the railway track is located for iiiie piirpcise 3st. farth ELLSWORTH E. FLORA. in presence uf- J. H. LAXDES, A. U. THuRiEN. 

